The Ballon d'Or voting for the 2025-26 season has been completed, with the award set to honor the outstanding male footballer of the campaign. Unlike last year when Ousmane Dembele's Champions League triumph with Paris Saint-Germain made him a clear favorite, this season presents no obvious winner. Bayern Munich and Barcelona secured domestic league titles, while PSG repeated a league and Champions League double but with several key players seeing limited domestic minutes. Arsenal won the Premier League despite injuries to their star forwards, and the World Cup added further complexity to the evaluation.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England across the season, including 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga matches — a tally bettered only by Gerd Muller and Robert Lewandowski in the league's history. Kane delivered standout performances against Ivory Coast, in both legs against PSG, and against Real Madrid, though his World Cup semifinal against Argentina saw him less influential.
Vitinha
Vitinha was the engine of PSG's Champions League-winning side, playing nearly 4,000 club minutes — far more than any other starter in the final. He ranked third in Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries per 90 minutes and second for progressive passes, while also contributing crucial goals and assists.
Michael Olise
Michael Olise led all players in combined goals and assists across domestic cups, leagues, European matches, and the World Cup, finishing with 10 more assists than the next best. His form for Bayern Munich and France confirmed his status as a lead attacker.
Lamine Yamal
At 19, Lamine Yamal recorded 37 goals and assists for Barcelona and Spain but missed 96 days due to injuries, including a biceps femoris issue at the World Cup and a groin problem earlier in the season. His impact when fit suggests he will contend for the award once fully mature physically.
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe's goal contributions trailed only Kane's, and he was phenomenal at the World Cup. However, team success is a Ballon d'Or criterion, and Real Madrid and France fell short of the ultimate prizes despite his individual brilliance.
Gabriel Magalhaes
Gabriel Magalhaes anchored Arsenal's historic Premier League title win built on one of the sport's most exceptional defenses. When he was on the pitch, 13.2% of shots faced by Arsenal were blocked, highlighting his shot-disrupting ability. Only three defenders have ever won the Ballon d'Or.
Luis Diaz
Luis Diaz contributed 39 combined goals and assists as Bayern Munich's third attacker, also excelling as a passer and creator. His teammate Kane publicly endorsed Diaz's case, though Diaz himself argued Kane should win.
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes carried Manchester United from midtable to Champions League qualification with a record 21 Premier League assists, nine from set pieces. He created 99 open-play chances, 22 more than any other player in Europe's top five leagues.
Lionel Messi
At 39, Lionel Messi led Argentina to the World Cup final and won the MLS Cup with Inter Miami. However, much of his club season was played at a level considered well below Europe's top leagues, limiting his overall case for the award period.
Rodri
Rodri was instrumental in Spain's World Cup triumph after recovering from an ACL injury, but his club season with Manchester City and later Barcelona was limited. He showed flashes of his best form late in the campaign, including a standout half against Chelsea and a dominant display in the EFL Cup final.
